Football
Football

Welbeck closing in on Christmas return

LONDON, United Kingdom Dec 16- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could be receiving an early Christmas present, with Danny Welbeck set to return to full training.

England international forward Welbeck has not played since May when he suffered cartilage damage in his knee 24 minutes into a 2-2 draw with Manchester City, an injury that forced him to miss Euro 2016.

The 26-year-old had been expected back in training around the turn of the year but Wenger says he will now be back working with the first-team squad in the next week.

Welbeck’s time at the Emirates has been plagued by injury, and he has only made 36 Premier League appearances since his arrival from Manchester United in September 2014.

Wenger also had an update on midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who has been absent with a hamstring injury that will also see him miss out against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Nissan Super Sunday.

Ramsey missed last weekend’s win over Stoke and the 2-1 defeat at Everton on Tuesday, a game that defender Shkodran Mustafi was also absent from with a similar problem.

“We should have approximately the same squad who went to Everton,” Wenger said.”Nobody is back. Aaron Ramsey’s not back, he’s the closest to come back, so we have some knocks and bruises but they should all be available again.

“Next week, I believe he [Ramsey] should be back in the squad and in normal training.

“Danny Welbeck is one week away from completing normal training. To be back in the squad; that will take some time because he wasn’t played for a long, long time.”